Rubber, also called natural rubber, is obtained from the latex of the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). The latex is extracted by making cuts in the bark without damaging the normal development of the plant, which can live up to 40 years.

Until a few decades ago, rubber was the only rubbery and elastic material on the market. Rubber is a material that is very sensitive to changes in temperature (it becomes soft in summer and rigid in winter), it is also sensitive to direct light and its color can vary over time. To stabilize natural rubber and make it more durable, a vulcanization process with sulfur is carried out. Vulcanization was introduced in 1840 and ensured the greater diffusion of natural rubber. Rubber is a living material that is completely biodegradable at the end of its life cycle.

With the advent of the chemical industry in the 1960s, synthetic rubbers were introduced to the market. Synthetic rubbers are polymers obtained from chemical compositions, different depending on their final use, they are therefore produced in the laboratory and are also then vulcanized. Synthetic rubbers were created to imitate and replace natural ones, lowering production costs using a large-scale industrial process. Synthetic rubbers are very durable over time but are not biodegradable.

On the Altramoda website you can find a wide selection of rubber products in the sections: Toys, Children's Slippers and Adult Slippers